Cressy Cricket Club looks set for a big 2017-18 season, with new captain-coach Damian Whybrow and a couple of ringers new to the side.
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The club’s seniors side will compete in the Premier League division of the Tasmanian Cricket League for the second consecutive season, and Whybrow has his sights firmly set on playing finals this season.
“As coach and captain, my first goal is we want to play finals cricket,” he said.
“Simple as that.”
Whybrow joins the club after a five-year stint captaining and coaching Trevallyn Cricket Club, and more recently, after working in a mentor role for the juniors at Launceston Cricket Club.
The top order batsman was highly regarded in his time at Trevallyn, after leading the side to the 2016 TCL Premier League Grand Final.
The recruitment of Whybrow marks the first time in its long history that Cressy has looked outside the Northern Midlands for a new coach, according to club president Sam Henley.
“We’re looking for Damian to bring a bit more professionalism to the club,” Henley said.
“The last 10 years, since I’ve been involved with the club, [coaching’s] always been done by people from around the area who've been with the club for a long time.
“We’ve been having good fun, but now we’re in the TCL, and because there is some good talent, we had to approach Damian for some fresh ideas and professionalism.”
Among the “good talent” at the club is Varun Nadesh.
Nadesh recently moved to Tasmania after playing cricket with the Malaysian national team, and looks set to become a catalyst for Cressy’s season.
Danny Bennett’s arrival from Whitemore has also been a big boost for the club, according to Whybrow.
Despite Whybrow’s credentials, he does not expect to come to Cressy and make wholesale changes to the club’s culture.
“I haven’t come in and changed too much – you don’t change a winning culture,” Whybrow said.
“They’re a good bunch of guys who like playing cricket, but they just need to go to that next level.”
Cressy will play against Diggers Cricket Club on Saturday, October 7, to open its season.